This invention relates generally to agricultural balers and, in particular, to feeder mechanisms for such balers.
In a conventional type of baler that includes a duct communicating at one end with an inlet opening in a bale case, one feeder mechanism is provided for packing crop material into the duct and another feeder mechanism is provided for stuffing crop material from the duct into the bale case via the inlet opening. U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,543 discloses a baler of this type in which the feeder mechanism for packing is comprised of a plurality of fingers that extend from and retract into a rotatable drum, and the feeder mechanism for stuffing is comprised of a series of tines that oscillate in a kidney-shaped path of travel. Another baler of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,104 where the feeder mechanism for packing includes a plurality of prongs that move in an elliptical path of travel, and the feeder mechanism for stuffing includes a series of plates mounted on a rotatable tube. U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,786 discloses a further baler of this type where the feeder mechanism for packing is formed by pushing members mounted on a rotatable disc, and the feeder mechanism for stuffing is formed by a rotatable flap member.